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James Anderson Coats
 Goldsboro - Dr.
James Anderson Coats, 66, of 109 Breezewood Drive, died early
Tuesday morning at the Kitty Askins Hospice Center. A native of
Mount Juliet, TN, he was the son of Christine Smith Brown of
Nashville, TN and the late Herman Coats.
Dr. Coats entered the United States Air Force in January of 1954 and
served as an electronics technician, instructor in advanced
electronics programs, navigator and electronics warfare officer,
planner and major command staff officer and unit commander. He rose
through enlisted and commissioned levels to the rank of Major. Dr.
Coats retired from the military service in November of 1974.
Dr. Coats received a bachelor’s degree with a concentration in
business and economics from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in
1969. He received a master of business administration degree from
Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington, in 1972 and a
master of arts in personnel management from Central Michigan
University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan, in 1981. Dr. Coats completed a
doctorate in education from North Carolina State University in 1986.
In January 1975, Dr. Coats was employed as a professor of business
administration at Mount Olive College. In October 1978, he was
appointed as vice president for finance and treasure. While serving
as vice president for finance, Dr. Coats oversaw the construction of
College Hall, which was completed in January 1984. He established
funding for dormitory parking and some campus roadways and other
infrastructure facilities. In 1991, Dr. Coats became vice president
for operations for a one-year term. He was instrumental in beginning
the Mount Olive location at Goldsboro and the Management and
Organizational Development program in New Bern. In 1997, Dr. Coats
became dean of the School of Business. In June 1998, he returned to
the business office as vice president for finance. Dr. Coats also
served as director of continuing education, director of cooperative
education, director of special programs for Mount Olive College,
executive vice president and vice president for operations and in
numerous other capacities on an interim basis.
Funeral services will be held Friday at 1 p.m. at Adamsville Baptist
Church, where he was a member. Burial with full military honors will
follow in Evergreen Memorial Cemetery. The Reverend Patrick Kilby
will officiate.
In addition to his mother, he is survived by his wife, Barbara
Mansell Coats; sons, David A. Coats and wife Cheryl of High Point
and Michael J. Coats and wife Alice of Dumfries, VA; daughter,
Deborah L. Thompson and husband Ron of Goldsboro; brother, Herbert
L. Coats of Stone Mountain, GA; and seven grandchildren, Jennifer
Thompson, Amy Thompson, Ashley Coats, Joshua Coats, Andrew Coats,
Caroline Coats and Emily Coats.
The family will receive friends Thursday from 6-9 p.m. at Seymour
Funeral Home and other times at the residence.
Memorials may be made to the Endowment for James A. Coats at Mount
Olive College, 634 Henderson Street, Mount Olive, NC 28365 or
Adamsville Baptist Church Building Fund, 1302 N. Berkeley Blvd.,
Goldsboro, NC 27534 |